Behind The Mask
by WhiteMoonofDeath
Summary: Ichigo was known as the infamous Black Sun; a man who's known duty was to protect the civilians of Japan. But behind the mask, he was just an ordinary man. Rukia was a woman who, despite her own secrets, wanted a sense of normalcy with dreams of her own. Dark secrets are always held behind a mask. IchiRuki AU.


**_Full Summary:_** Ichigo was known as the infamous Blac Sun; a man who's known duty was to protect the civilians of Japan. But behind the mask, he was just an ordinary man. Rukia was a woman who, despite her own secrets, wanted a sense of normalcy with dreams of her own. When their paths cross, Ichigo feels conflicted as he attempts to fight a new evil, while Rukia struggles with the sudden attention Black Sun is drawing to her. It's hard keeping secrets

**Action/Romance/Humor/Angst**

* * *

_**Behind the Mask**_

_Chapter 1_

* * *

_"So what compelled you to take it upon yourself to protect the citizens of Japan?" The superhero in question looked startled as the microphone was thrust into his face._

_ "Ah, well..." He began, reaching up to rub the nape of his neck sheepishly, "...I-"_

All went silent as the flat screen TV went blank, causing two heads to swivel toward her, both of which sported a glare that could kill.

Rukia gave a roll of her eyes as she leaned down to place the remote back on the table.

"_Rukiaaa_!" Ah, there it was. She was beginning to grow concerned when both women didn't begin whining right away.

Lifting a warm cup of tea to her parted lips, she took a small sip. Her gaze followed the form of her friend when she moved into a standing position with her hands placed on her hips as her mouth pushed forward into a pout she knew of all too well.

"Why do you always have to do that?!" Momo complained when a low, annoyed huff shot past her lips. Rukia's violet gaze shifted to her other friend, the one who was a little less sassy, as the woman stood next to Momo with a look that mirrored the latter's.

"Do what?" She asked innocently, as if she truly had no clue what she had done; which was a lie. It was obvious that her two closest friends had some kind of infatuation with Black Sun, especially Orihime.

"You _know_ what." Momo narrowed her gaze before her hands flew up in the air as if to admit defeat, "Every time Black Sun is mentioned on TV, you get all pissy! Why can't Orihime and I watch a small interview, huh? He's our hero!" Rukia couldn't help but roll her eyes.

_ Their_ hero? She had to hold back a laugh. As far as she knew, the might Black Sun was just looking for attention at this point. Sure, he had saved many lives, but what about those who were starving, or even homeless? What about cancer patients? Can he save them? No.

"Please, Momo, he's nothing special. Just because he has inhuman powers doesn't mean the world should bow at his feet!" This, of course, pulled a loud gasp from the two women as they blinked with disbelief.

"N-Nothing special?! How could you say such a thing, Rukia?!" This time it was Orihime, and by this point, Rukia found that it was ridiculous to carry on with such a needless discussion.

So she pulled herself up off the couch, grabbed her tea, and moved to make her way into the kitchen. But to her displeasure, it seemed like Momo and Orihime would not drop the subject.

"How can you say such a thing?! Do you know how much he's done for Japan?" She halted in her steps when Momo grabbed at her arm.

A tiny, sarcastic smile pulled at her lips when she gave a low, bitter laugh, "Nothing, as far as I can tell. I'm starting to understand why my brother wants to sue him so much." She watched as her friend's jaw clenched and felt the woman's grip tighten on her arm.

"Your brother's just a stuck up lawyer! What did Black Sun ever do to _you_?!"

Despite how bitter Momo sounded toward her adoptive brother, Rukia ignored it—she was somehow used to people thinking such things, and she couldn't help but understand why.

Averting her violet eyes elsewhere, she felt her lips twitch downward into a frown.

"He shouldn't be gaining such fame when there are still people he fails to help." Not bothering to elaborate, Rukia turned and grabbed at a nearby script.

"Now if you excuse me, I have an audition tomorrow that I need to prepare for."

Unbeknownst to her, she left both women simply speechless as she silently made her way to her room.

* * *

"No! My baby! Someone, please help!" His head immediately whipped around at the sound of a mother's wail and uttered a curse before diving into the nearest alleyway.

As if it wasn't bad enough that he was already late for work! Another lecture from four-eyes was not what he needed right now.

Reaching up with two hands, Ichigo was quick to unbutton his long white coat, revealing the black and orange pattern of his uniform hidden beneath.

"Shit, where's my mask?!" He hissed low with growing irritation. After a few moments—which felt like hours—of groping around, he managed to find the black mask hidden within the depths of his pocket.

Not wasting anymore time, he leaped up into the air, clad in his uniform as his amber gaze darted in search of the enemy.

Cries of admiration were heard from below when he narrowed his eyes and only one name escaped through his clenched teeth. A name he knew all too well.

"_Pantera_."

The cat-like man crawled his way up the tallest building, and within his closed jaws, held a baby wrapped within a small, blue blanket.

To him, the sight was near sickening.

Curling his fists at his sides, Ichigo sped forward, his deep amber gaze locked on the enemy. Pantera's cold, blue eyes narrowed as a wide smirk spread along the length of his face.

He gave a menacing cackle before his sharp, cat-like claws ripped through the fabric of the baby's blanket as he held the hysterical infant in mid-air.

"Nuh, uh, uh, I don't think so, _Black Sun_! If you come any closer, this baby will drop into a puddle of bloody goo!"

"You bastard!" Pantera's smirk only grew wider.

"Just try me. Unless," he paused, as if he were actually considering handing the baby over, "you give me a _good_ fight!"

Ichigo was losing his patience, and fast. There was no way he could fight his arch enemy without putting the innocent baby in harm's way; however, if Pantera wanted to negotiate, that was another story.

Taking a moment's chance, he moved merely an inch toward Pantera and the baby before coming to a stop. His gaze was fixated on the man's hand, which only seemed to grip the blanket harder.

"Pantera," he growled low, "if you return the baby to its mother, I'll fight you. Is that what you want?" If his eyes weren't fooling him, he would see that for a split moment, his enemy looked surprised.

"Hmm..." The superhero felt his nostrils flare with agitation, this was taking much longer than he planned. "Oh, alright, get ready to have the living shit beat out of you!"

The mother down below elicited a sudden, blood-curdling scream when Pantera released his grip on the baby, allowing the small bundled human to free fall at least ten stories downward.

Letting out a loud curse, Ichigo paid no heed to the fact that Pantera leaped toward him, and dove straight for the infant. With arms outstretched downward, the baby fell safely into his arms.

"Come fight me, you coward!" Feeling a scowl mar at his face, Ichigo turned on his back in mid-air, cradled the now laughing baby to his chest and yelled out, "Getsuga Tenshou!"

A bright blue blast erupted with a wave of his right arm, causing Pantera to slow down his speedy movements as he attempted to dodge the blow.

Rearranging his body so his feet faced the ground, he didn't turn to look as a loud blast echoed in his ears.

"O-Oh, my baby!" The mother rushed forward and gently took her baby from his arms, and as she cradled and cooed her child, she stared up at him with a tear-stained face. "T-Thank you, thank you so much!" She gave a respectful bow of her head, and at the sight of the baby safely reunited with its mother, Ichigo allowed a soft smile.

"Don't mention it."

_ "Black Sun!" _The said man whipped his head behind him and wasn't surprised to find that Pantera had escaped the explosion.

"Shit," he hissed under his breath at the sight of the villainous cat perched on a pile of rubble. Sneaking a glance back at the mother and infant behind him, he knew that he had to take this fight elsewhere. He couldn't risk putting the innocent crowd in danger.

Ichigo then wasted no time in sprinting forward, leaping through the air for a short time before he let out a low grunt upon colliding with the enemy. Along with some hissing, scratching, and punching, both inhuman beings continued to roll away from the crowd.

A searing, sharp pain flashed throughout his body when the back of his skull was slammed down upon a jagged rock. Clenching his teeth, Ichigo glared up at Pantera as the villain sneered at him. "Not so tough now, huh, Black Sun?" The superhero felt a weight lifted off him and he let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding before he pushed himself to stand up, despite how disoriented he felt. He curled his fists at his sides as he stood with a new-found resolve. Adrenaline rushed through his body as he narrowed his eyes at his arch enemy, watching as the other man's eyes widened in slight surprise.

"Tch," Pantera growled, stepping forward. "What's with those eyes? Don't you dare look down on me!" With inhuman speed, Pantera moved forward with outstretched arms and unsheathed claws. He was fast, but Ichigo was faster.

Lifting his arm, Ichigo blocked the oncoming, deadly swipe and maneuvered his body to the side in order to avoid a right hook. Catching the man's curved arm, Ichigo tightened his hold and twisted the villain's arm so that he held it against his back. Pantera let out a low hiss, but the superhero paid no heed as he watched on with a concentrated, narrow gaze.

"It's over, _Pantera_." The hero's expressions remained concentrated and focused, despite his enemy's deep, mocking cackle. This was somewhat expected, given the situation. There was no villain who cowered in fear, even when trapped within his strong, unforgiving hold.

At the sight of Pantera's wide grin, accompanied by a mischievous flash in his deep blue gaze, which conveyed that of ill intent, a scowl marred Ichigo's usually composed visage. His amber eyes narrowed slightly when he attempted to piece together what his enemy had in mind.

But his attempts were futile, no one can ever truly get into the mind of an enemy.

In that split moment of hesitation, Ichigo felt the other man's body stiffen and he hunched forward when a strong force had lodged itself deep within his gut. In the midst of coughing and gasping for air, a thin stream of blood trickled from the corner of his lips. With blurred vision, he could barely make out the lean form of his cat-like nemesis. Another rough grunt escaped his parted lips when another blow landed to his stomach. Hunched over, Ichigo clenched his teeth, winded. His lungs contracted, desperate for oxygen.

"Not so tough now, are ya?" At the far away echo of Pantera's sinister voice, Ichigo languidly lifted his head when he began to regain composure. Long, thin, yet sharp fingers were then wrapped around the skin of his throat in seconds, tightening ever so slowly as if to warn him that any sudden movement would result in a merciless choking hold.

In response, Ichigo merely narrowed his gaze and lifted a hand to grip at the man's wrist. A rough growl of annoyance ripped through Pantera's throat as his nostrils flared. His visage darkened, and the lines around his eyes grew more profound as the crinkles emphasized the villain's true disgust.

"You bastard!" Ichigo saw it coming, yet he didn't move; not even a muscle as that tightened fist slammed into the bones of his cheek and jaw. His head snapped to the side, and a sickening crack reverberated. Yet, he still stood his ground. Pantera snarled and thrust his arm forward once, twice, three times; however, once the fourth punch was racing toward Ichigo's now dirt-filled and bruised face, he halted the man's knuckles within his palms.

"It's over, Pantera." A dark aura burst and curled along his tense form as he appeared to be more dangerous than anyone would make him out to be; and for the first time in years, he swore he saw what one would call fear fill the depths of Pantera's eyes.

* * *

Her body jolted upward from her deep slumber, letting out low, heavy breaths as she squeezed her eyes shut.

Unpleasant images flashed through her mind, causing her grip on the sheets to tighten.

She lifted a hand to her head and released a sigh, an attempt to calm herself.

It was just a dream.

Though she wished it was only just a dream.

Rukia grimaced as she felt her stomach twist, turn, and grip with nausea. It was only then that she realized that a light, cold sweat covered her body. Letting out a low groan, she moved sluggishly as she made to get out of bed. At the feel of her bare feet making contact with the cold wooden floor, she abruptly felt her knees buckle when a terrifying shutter raced through her body.

_ "You're useless, weak!"_

She pressed her lips together into a thin line.

_ "Why do you keep trying?"_

Her fingers gripped the sheets until her knuckles turned white as she attempted to fight off another wave of nausea.

_ "Still think you can beat me, pest?"_

Her eyes shot open when she gave a loud gasp, taking in slow breaths to regain composure.

Rukia didn't move for a while. She didn't know how long she stayed in that same position or how many times she fought off the urge to vomit.

She gave a thick swallow and slowly moved into a standing position, shaking any remaining disturbances from her mind. A small glass of water was what she needed right now.

Making her way to the kitchen, blindly, she flicked on the light and immediately halted within her steps at the sudden glare of bright light.

When her eyes finally adjusted, Rukia grabbed at a glass. Her throat was dry, and she felt completely parched.

"Rukia? It's almost three in the morning, don't you have an audition in a few hours?" Placing the glass on the counter, Rukia tilted her head so her eyes came in contact with Momo's sleepy, yet concerned gaze.

With a small frown, she proceeded to drop ice into her glass.

A prolonged silence took place between them as neither spoke. As for her, she didn't feel like talking; Rukia never felt like talking at this hour.

She heard Momo shuffle into the kitchen behind her, and at the corner of her eye, she noticed that the woman leaned with her back on the counter and fixed her gaze upon Rukia's form.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Her friend's soft voice finally broke the silence, and Rukia wanted nothing more than to bury herself within the confines of her warm blankets once again. Now wasn't the time to be talking about such things. It never seemed like the time.

"Yeah," she murmured, knowing full well that Momo would only push her until she gave an answer, "a nightmare." She lifted the rim of the glass to her lips and took a small sip of water, sighing with content once the cold liquid began to quench her thirst.

"This is the fourth time this week, Rukia. Is something bothering you?"

_ Yes. _"No," her reply was short and quick, and she inwardly cursed herself for making it seem as though she were lying. Well, she was, but she didn't want Momo to think so.

She heard a sigh come from her left, indicating that her friend didn't buy it. Rukia was stupid to think she would, especially since they had known each other for well over four years. They went through hell and back together quite a few times, no matter how little the situation was. But suddenly, she was finding it difficult to share every little thing with her best friend, and she knew that it was frustrating to Momo.

"No?" Rukia traced the rim of her glass, avoiding her friend's gaze. Even though she knew that the other woman didn't believe her, it was just easier to dodge a situation when she didn't have to look someone in the eye. Not only that, but she didn't want to see the hurt reflected in her friend's gaze; it would only make her feel guilty. And guilt was not something she wanted to deal with right now. Not when the emotion had a tendency to haunt her.

"Bullshit, Rukia!" A barely noticeable flinch rushed through her body at Momo's angry outburst. She'd be a fool if she didn't expect her friend to react in such a way. "I know that's not true! I'm your _friend_, we're supposed to tell each other everything! What happened to you?" Rukia's eyes then darted toward her, feeling a small pang within her chest at the sight of her best friend. Her head was bowed with a tight set jaw, and her hands clenched the counter with so much force that her knuckles turned white.

"Momo..." She called softly as she lifted an arm in an attempt to reach out to her, but instead, it fell limp at her side. A small lump began to form in her throat and her brows furrowed as she watched Momo with uncertainty.

"You're so _distant_. You bury yourself in your work, you lock yourself in your room, you hardly even talk to me anymore!" The woman finally lifted her head and threw her hands up in defeat. "You're just not _Rukia_ anymore."

Silence followed when Rukia didn't even try to protest, because she knew it was true. It had been a little over two years since that day. It was a day when she realized that it was useless to control fate, because fate had a mind of its own. And it was because of fate that she suffered. She truly despised fate, and that this point, she was sure that fate despised her just as much.

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**Review? =w=**

Yes, I'm alive and yes I finally have the time to write again, thus I finally had the chance to finish this chapter.

So, unfortunately this chapter is extremely cliche. But I've had this idea running around in my head for over two years, and I just couldn't let it sit there anymore. So after a long time of brainstorming, I've finally started to get it out on paper. I apologize with the short length of this chapter and how not much really happens in it, all of the true juicy stuff will begin to happen in chapters to come.

In case you haven't noticed, our famous superhero known as Black Sun is Ichigo! I'll give a brownie to anyone who can guess the name of a superhero yet to make an appearance (and there is more than one!).


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